New research was presented at ACAAI 2016, the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, from November 10 to 14 in San Francisco. The features below highlight some of the studies presented at the conference. Smoking Among Asthmatic Teens Previous research has shown that smoking rates among teens with asthma are relatively high. However, data are lacking on how smoking and smoking dependence differ between teens with asthma and those without the condition. For a study, researchers surveyed adolescents aged 13 to 19 about their smoking habits. When compared with participants who did not have asthma, teens with asthma were more likely to smoke, have some degree of nicotine dependence, and have tobacco dependence. Curiosity about cigarette smoking was identified as the primary reason why teens with asthma started smoking. ————————————————————– Asthma Risk & Access to Fresh Foods Recent studies have linked obesity with a higher incidence of asthma and worse outcomes. A lack of access to healthy foods has been established as a driver of obesity, but few studies have assessed the impact of this phenomenon on asthma. Study investigators compared the prevalence of pediatric asthma between children with and without access to fruits, vegetables, and other fresh foods for a study. Among children without access, 21% had asthma, compared with a rate of 17% observed among those with access. Children in the study who lived more than 1 mile from a grocery store had 53% greater odds of having asthma. ————————————————————– The Effect of Introducing Allergenic Foods Early Evidence suggests that the timing of introducing allergenic foods into an...

Guidelines and updated emergency medicine (EM) practice parameters have been issued for the management of anaphylaxis in the ED, but research indicates that significant knowledge and practice gaps persist. In July 2011, a round-table meeting called Anaphylaxis in Emergency Medicine was conducted, consisting of a multidisciplinary group of experts who reviewed the current guidelines and how they are applied in different emergency medical settings in the United States. The experts agreed that the root cause for many treatment gaps for anaphylaxis was the lack of a practical definition of anaphylaxis as it relates to EM. “There is concern that EM professionals may not be using current guidelines and practice parameters fully,” explains Richard Nowak, MD, who chaired the Anaphylaxis in Emergency Medicine roundtable panel. “This results from not having a consensus in published guidelines on the definition of anaphylaxis. Another key factor is that there are differences in signs and symptoms of how anaphylaxis presents in EDs, compared with those occurring in allergists’ offices.” A Practical Definition of Anaphylaxis In 2013, Dr. Nowak and colleagues published an article in the Journal of Emergency Medicine that customized anaphylaxis guidelines for EM. Articulating a simple standardized practical definition of anaphylaxis and describing characteristic findings in the clinical criteria for identifying it were an important emphasis (Table 1). The working definition was modified, building upon definitions suggested by other groups, so that it is clinically more relevant to emergency providers. Dr. Nowak and colleagues also developed consensus statements that encouraged practical application of guidelines when managing anaphylaxis (Table 2). “These statements expand the discussion on how to diagnose and manage anaphylaxis in...